A pastor, who apparently also worked in Portland Oregon, has just been imprisoned for molesting a girl in Hawaii (see newspaper story below). Apparently, there's a criminal probe against him in Oregon.

We hope that anyone who saw, suspected or suffered Taboada's crimes will find the courage to step forward, get help, call police, and start healing. We also hope that Oregon criminal authorities will work hard to find and help Taboada's victims in Oregon, and will pursue more charges against this criminal, so he might be jailed longer and so that kids might be safer.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 20 years and have more than 9,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

A woman who was sexually assaulted by her mentor and spiritual leader for at least seven years starting when she was 12 years old watched a judge sentence Manuel Guillermo Taboada to 10 years in prison yesterday.

The woman, her friends and family did not make any statements before Circuit Judge Richard Pollack handed down the sentence. Neither did Taboada.

"What's he going to say to them, 'I'm sorry?' I don't think sorry's enough and that's why he agreed to a prison sentence," said Michael Green, Taboada's lawyer.

In a deal with prosecutors, Taboada, 57, pleaded guilty to eight counts of second-degree sexual assault covering the period from April 2001 through April 2007. He was facing four counts of first-degree sexual assault and four counts of second-degree sexual assault.

At the time, the girl and her family lived at a religious commune Taboada operated in Kaneohe.

Taboada agreed to the 10-year sentence and to serve a minimum of six years before he is eligible for parole. The Hawaii Paroling Authority can set a higher minimum.

Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy said Taboada was grooming the girl to take over his ministry and took her on trips to California and Japan. When the girl reported Taboada had been sexually assaulting her, he tried to quote scripture to justify what he did, Murphy said.

"The defendant's a very smooth operator, a scam artist and a sexual predator," Murphy said.

Taboada offered recorded religious sermons online from Back to the Cross Evangelistic Team. Another Web site listed him as the pastor of Great Commission Ministries in Portland, Ore. Murphy said Taboada was also the pastor of Peach House Ministry in Oregon.

She said Portland authorities are still investigating similar sexual assault allegations against Taboada in Oregon. So far they have not charged him with any crimes.

A woman who was sexually assaulted by her mentor and spiritual leader for at least seven years starting when she was 12 years old watched a judge sentence Manuel Guillermo Taboada to 10 years in prison yesterday.

The woman, her friends and family did not make any statements before Circuit Judge Richard Pollack handed down the sentence. Neither did Taboada.

"What's he going to say to them, 'I'm sorry?' I don't think sorry's enough and that's why he agreed to a prison sentence," said Michael Green, Taboada's lawyer.

In a deal with prosecutors, Taboada, 57, pleaded guilty to eight counts of second-degree sexual assault covering the period from April 2001 through April 2007. He was facing four counts of first-degree sexual assault and four counts of second-degree sexual assault.

At the time, the girl and her family lived at a religious commune Taboada operated in Kaneohe.

Taboada agreed to the 10-year sentence and to serve a minimum of six years before he is eligible for parole. The Hawaii Paroling Authority can set a higher minimum.

Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy said Taboada was grooming the girl to take over his ministry and took her on trips to California and Japan. When the girl reported Taboada had been sexually assaulting her, he tried to quote scripture to justify what he did, Murphy said.

"The defendant's a very smooth operator, a scam artist and a sexual predator," Murphy said.

Taboada offered recorded religious sermons online from Back to the Cross Evangelistic Team. Another Web site listed him as the pastor of Great Commission Ministries in Portland, Ore. Murphy said Taboada was also the pastor of Peach House Ministry in Oregon.

She said Portland authorities are still investigating similar sexual assault allegations against Taboada in Oregon. So far they have not charged him with any crimes.